FBI to investigate hate-related incidents at Oberlin College

OBERLIN -- The FBI was asked by Oberlin College to investigate hate-related incidents that have surfaced the past few weeks on the campus.

Students and faculty participated Monday in a "Day of Solidarity" when classes were canceled at the college and Conservatory of Music. That morning, a student reported a person wearing a hood and robe resembling a Klu Klux Klan outfit near Edmonia Lewis Center and the Afrikan Heritage Center.

College spokesman Scott Wargo said the investigation will look into the homophobic and racial statements that have defaced Black History Month posters and "Year of the Queer" posters, as well as various other graffiti around campus. The investigation is ongoing. The college will be cooperating closely with the FBI, Wargo said.

Homophobic and racial statements were first discovered Feb. 9 in the Science Center where Black History Month posters were defaced, the college's newspaper, The Oberlin Review, reported. On Feb. 12, LGBTQ Community Coordinator Lorena Espinoza found a note in the Multicultural Resource Center that said "N--- + Faggot Center," according to the student paper.

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Two students faced disciplinary action by the school in connection with the incidents, Oberlin police said, but no one has been found in relation to the KKK outfit, though a woman was seen wearing a blanket in that area, police said.

Discussions took place on campus with a teach-in led by the Africana Studies Department at the Lord Lounge at the Afrikan Heritage House. A demonstration of solidarity and a Rally Against Hate took place in the Wilder Bowl. The day finished off with a community convocation at the Finney Chapel. The convocation was previously scheduled for Wednesday.

Wargo said it was a strong turnout for all of the events and said that it is important to continue having conversations relating to the incident.

Oberlin student Paris Achenbach wrote a blog after the "Day of Solidarity" in which she stated that she was ready to blog about a typical Monday in Oberlin, but when she heard of the news, her blog became an atypical day in Oberlin.

"... the incident yesterday (Monday) definitely put my trivial issues on my to-do list into perspective," Achenbach wrote. "I think it was important we had class cancelled yesterday (Monday), because it gave everyone on campus the opportunity to think about these issues in greater depth than just 'this is awful,' and have serious conversations with each other, without someone running off to a meeting or class or lab or what have you."

Achenbach wrote that the highlight of the day for her was the march of solidarity. Friends, professors, co-workers and strangers came together to take over Tappan Square.

"I'm normally not one to shout my lungs out in progressive iterations, but the energy and momentum in the mass of people was enough to bring out the passionate side of myself," Achenbach wrote.